R. Kelly Lyrics Get Spoken-Word Treatment In Court
Yesterday R. Kelly’s lawyer, Ed Genson, objected to the prosecution entering a copy of his client’s 1998 album R. into evidence, saying that reading the album’s lyrics in the liner notes could unfairly prejudice the jury against Kelly. When asked by the presiding judge, Vincent Gaughan, just what would result in the jury being tainted, Genson opened the CD’s booklet and read lyrics to an unidentified song to the courtroom assemblage, a performance that “[reduced] prosecutor Shauna Boliker and everyone else within earshot to fits of giggles” and caused Kells to cover his face. The judge subsequently decided that the jury could have the CD, but that the printed lyrics would be blocked out, although I suspect that the “message” of “Half On A Baby” comes through loud and clear when it’s put to music, too. [The Kelly Chronicles]
